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Porous asphalt is a popular paving choice for many reasons. It's cost efficient, eco friendly and considered an EPA best practice. Porous asphalt pavement has tiny holes that allow water to percolate through it into the soil below. This helps with storm water runoff after a heavy rain. The key to keeping porous asphalt looking new is maintenance. Proper maintenance done on a regular basis will keep the porous asphalt pavement looking and functioning like new for many years.

1. Sweeping Your Porous Asphalt Clean

The first thing is to keep debris off of your new asphalt driveway or asphalt parking lot by sweeping it on a regular basis. With a driveway, the owner can sweep it with a broom periodically (say once a week when doing yard work) or whenever necessary to keep it clean of debris. With a parking lot, the owner may need to have a vacuum service come every day or a couple of times a week or month depending on how busy the parking lot is. Where grocery stores, restaurants, and especially fast food restaurants are located, the parking lot may need daily vacuuming because people leave litter and debris behind. But the owners, on a case-by-case basis, must determine the requirements for each parking lot.

2. Inspect Your Pavement Surface After Large Storms

After heavy rainfall check for surface ponding that might indicate possible clogging. You can reduce potential clogging debris sources by limiting deciduous trees and bushes. Perimeter berms and permeable boarders can also be used to inhibit off-site runoff to the permeable pavement to reduce potential clogging.

3. Power Wash Your Porous Asphalt

The second thing is to power wash the porous asphalt pavement periodically. Power washing will clean small particles of debris that have blocked the tiny holes in the asphalt, preventing water from draining through the pavement. In cold climate areas where sand is used in the winter, power washing may be necessary more often than with other areas where sanding does not occur.

Also, areas that tend to have higher humidity may need power washing more often because of mossy or moldy growth that blocks the holes. The owner or maintenance supervisor will be able to tell when power washing is needed because water will not drain properly through the pavement. The same is true with a driveway; when the water does not drain properly, the owner should realize it is time to power wash the driveway.

After power washing the pavement, a good vacuuming or sweeping will be necessary to get all of the lose debris cleaned up. Once completed, the pavement will be returned to a nearly new condition, both in appearance and in functionality. Over time, a regular maintenance schedule can be established that will keep the pavement in good condition for years to come.

If you have any questions about the benefits of asphalt paving or are interested in a free asphalt paving estimate, please contact us today!

With over 75 years of paving experience, from highways to driveways, we are your local source for all of your paving needs. Wolf Paving offers professional paving services from Milwaukee to Madison, and everywhere in between, including all areas around: Sun Prairie, Oconomowoc and Waukesha.

It’s never too early or too late torequest a free paving estimate. Call Wolf Paving today. For the Milwaukee area, call us at 262-965-2121. For the Madison area, call us at 608-249-7931.